The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors made a more concrete step to finalizing its decision on waste management services for the county.
After a lengthy discussion during their last meeting, the supervisors determined they would go with the lowest bidder.
Although the decision was for the supervisors to go with the lowest bidder, there is still the opportunity for the county to remain in contract with Golden Triangle Waste Services.
President of the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors Orlando Trainer said one of the aspects of the motion was possibly terminating its current contract with GTWS, which would be effective on Sept. 30.
The board can then enter into a new contract on Oct.1 with the lowest bidder, which is ASDI.
"All of this stuff can be null and void, can be adjusted, can be amended," Trainer said. "I think right now, the board made a strong commitment that we're looking at going in a different direction."
Although the supervisors are looking to move into a different direction, Trainer said they are having the board attorney Rob Roberson see if they can enter into a contract past its term.
Roberson will also be looking at what the county could potentially face when terminating a contract with a company they partially own.
"However, we're still wanting to do some due diligence to understand exactly all the ramifications behind the actual transition," Trainer said.
Trainer said he hopes GTWS is serious about accommodating the supervisors. He said as far as he could see, it gives the appearance GTWS can survive with or without us.
"With that kind of approach, that doesn't give us a whole lot of leverage or flexibility to insist that we get a certain level of service," Trainer said.
Trainer said with the county’s partial ownership of GTWS, they do not receive direct revenue, but they do receive indirect revenue through cost efficient services.
Trainer said with administrative issues, if GTWS could “rectify” those issues it could be a “deal saver.”
District 3 Supervisor Marvell Howard said when issues were brought to light, the board switched its members to better communicate with GTWS. District 1 Supervisor John Montgomery initially held the seat.
“I think this is where a lot of this came from, was communication,” Howard said.
Howard said through those conversations, they were each able to come to an agreement on the issue of cans being picked up.
He said there will be a designated driver twice a month who will pick up cans in need of repair or replacement. He also voiced his concerns of the obligation of the county’s contract with GTWS.
Howard said he is concerned with the supervisors walking away from something it partially owns. He said his perception is the supervisors addressed some issues to the forefront and made some concrete steps.
“We actually own a third of this company that we are proposing to or not to stay with,” Howard said.
Montgomery said there is no need for financial irresponsibility of backing out of the contract early, when they can wait for the contract to expire.
He said citizens of the county have put up with “substandard garbage pickup” for quite some time.
“It’s not the carts, it’s what’s behind the carts, the service behind the cart,” Montgomery said.
Montgomery said the three companies who have submitted bids were great, and told the supervisors about their services in and out.
“We’ve had time to think about it,” Montgomery said.
Montgomery said the county has the opportunity to serve the citizens better with their decision with an organization that can have better communication.
“It’s just not run very professionally in a lot of ways,” Montgomery said.“There is no urgency to meet that need in the Golden Triangle.”